Forbidden Love
by BrokenCheshireCat
Summary: -Discontinued- There is a fragile balance in the world. Whenever you want something, you'll have to give something else in return. The Embryo is no exception. "You can't be with him... You can't tell him you love him." Amuto
1. Aftematch

**Title: Forbidden Love  
Rating:** T  
**Pairing:** IkutoxAmu (even though I could add other pairings, I won't; I'm only focusing on Ikuto and Amu)  
**Summary: **There is a fragile balance in the world. Whenever you want something, you'll have to give something else in return. The Embryo is no exception. "You can't be with him... You can't tell him you love him." Amuto

**Author Notes: **Went back to drama. This story will have a happy ending, so don't stress people. I'm trying to put more feeling into it and more inner monologue and less dialogue than my previous work (**Matchmaking Process**). People will definitely like it, but I still want reviews that support that thought.**  
Warnings: **Rated T just in case, possibly for situations on chapter 3.**  
Disclaimer: **Don't own SC nor it's sexy characters.

* * *

**Aftematch**

_Release me from this mysterious waiting_

_The stars are falling; the wind is blowing._

_Finally I can hold you in my arms._

_Two hearts beating together._

_Believe me that my heart is never-changing_

_Waiting a thousand years._

_You have my promise_

_Despite many bitter winters, I never let you go._

**(Amu's POV)**

It was the same every night. The same dream, the same words that felt like a plague whenever I remembered them.

"Tell me your wish!" The kid-like-Embryo stated every single time. Nothing wrong happened. Nothing whatsoever. But whenever he finished making a wish come true, he would always look at me with eyes filled with meaning, meaning which I couldn't possibly understand or even decipher. I was only twelve, after all.

Even though I know I should have been surprised that the little kid was in fact the Embryo, I had felt completely exhausted and tired to feel any more than just complete contentment. The Embryo had, after all, finally come after Ikuto and I joined both the key and the lock (a very embarrassing moment, by the way), promising wishes and happiness to all of us.

But that look had been the one thing that never left me alone. What was about it that made me so uncomfortable?

**---**

"GOOOOD MORNING, AMU-CHAN!" It was 7:45 when I woke up that day. All thanks to my personal alarm clock, aka, Ran.

"Good morning, Amu-chan." Choired both Miki and Suu, apparently more used to Ran's morning energy than me.

I gently stretched my arm, and removed my diamond egg from my shugo's sleeping basket, tapping gently on its top, so to wake my last, still sleepy, shugo chara. "Dia, good morning."

The four of us stared at the yellow egg, waiting patiently (maybe impatiently on Ran's side) for the young girl to get out of her egg.

"A bit longer, please." Was the only reply we received. I smiled foundly at the laid back, yet enthusiastic personality of the small child. I got up, did my morning schedule, and prepared to head for school. I was now in middle school, and felt happy whenever it was time to go. Why exactly? Well, I guess it made me feel that I was growing older, and adjusting better to adolescence and puberty.

I was distracted from my thoughts by a sudden voice coming from behind me, _very_ near my right ear. "What are you thinking so deeply in the morning, Amu_-chan_?"

I think I did a double jump in the sky and blushed at least three types of red. Even though Ikuto did this to me every morning, it always caught me off guard.

"Dammit, Ikuto! Get away from her." Stated Utau with the same old annoyed expression at her brother's atticks. "You are going to scare her to death one of this days!"

"So...?"

"Urgh...don't come moping around when that happens, okay!?" She walked around Ikuto, linked her arm with my own, and led us both away from him. His previous smirk decreasing with each step we took, turning slightly into a pout.

Ever since we had defeated Easter, Ikuto and Utau had managed to obtain the peaceful life they wanted and deserved, living as normal as any teenager their age did. As such, they transferred to a public school, my school, that included the high school department. Pure joy. And yes, I'm being sarcastic.

Utau hadn't changed much since then, but Ikuto was the one who looked more...different. He was much more lively. Although even if, thankfully, the teasing hadn't grown any stronger, his smiles had. He was much more laid back than ever, showing the playful side of him more often, and finally starting to catch up with the years he had to let go due to Easter's constant presence. Unfortunately, I was his guinea pig when it came to being funny. Not so funny to me, if I were to be asked.

To be honest, I actually liked the attention he gave me. His words, when he confessed to me, still ringed loud and clear inside my heart, and I felt so torn between Ikuto and Tadase-kun. My feelings each day were turning more and more towards Ikuto, but I still had my doubts: how could I had fallen out of love with Tadase-kun so easily?

When we reached our school, and was time for each of us to go to the rightful building, I said goodbye to both Utau and Ikuto, although the look that Ikuto sent me, made me extremely uncomfortable. I know he was still waiting, mainly hoping, for my answer to his confession. Truth be told, even after the whole Embryo part, that had happened some months before, I still wasn't confident enough to confess to a boy, I was still so...pathetic and shy. Not being brave enough to show my loved one how much I loved him. I didn't know it then, but the act of confession would turn into something very bitter to me.

My school time hadn't changed much. We still were all guardians, including Kuukai, and had our usual meetings. Most of time Utau and Ikuto would show up, and some kind of war, or play time as Yaya would call it, would happen between Tadase-kun and Ikuto. During those moments, I would always sink into my chair, hoping I would not be stared by Nagihiko, Rima, or even both boys that were in love with me. I felt like they were fighting for my heart, and I was the judge.

On the way home, it would always be just Ikuto and me. No Utau, no shugo charas, no nothing. Just me and him...us. And those were wonderful times. We would talk. Really talk. Very little teasing to none whatsoever. He would often tell me about his childhood, or the way he got along with his mother and basically how was his everyday life. Everyday the same thing. That is, until one certain day.

Ikuto had came back home with me, walking through the front door, and climbing the stairs to my room, right behind me. It was the same everyday. After mama had caught us both sneaking out of the bathroom, he had became a frequent presence in the house. My father would freak out everyday, and everyday I would hear mama saying _'cut that out, your daughter is happy so be happy yourself!' _and papa would reply with _'I'm running away from home just like my little sparrow is running away from us!'_ which would often end with me choking Ikuto with my pillow to avoid unnecessary embarrassing comments or giggle fits coming from him.

That time although, we were both stuck on silence, and still hadn't talked since we arrived home. Ikuto had hurt himself, just like he used to do when Easter was still around, and that fact had made me angry at him once more. He didn't try to talk to me, perhaps for lacking an excuse, and me for not being in the mood to hear whichever excuses he had to give me. I was tired of seeing him suffer, even when there was no longer a reason for it to happen.

"Amu..." I took my eyes of the bandages in my hands and looked right back at Ikuto, trying to maintain my serious and non-forgiving face. He looked back at me, with a solemn expression upon his face, unfazed even by my cold stare. That meant he could be either nervous or confident, either way was fine by me. I was not giving in to him so easily, not anymore.

"I don't care whatever your excuses are, you had no right to get in between!"

"But that x-egg was going to hurt you!"

"And do you seriously think this would be the first time? Damn Ikuto, stop treating me like a kid!"

Arguments about the x-eggs often happened between us. Easter was gone, but the leftovers of the battle, namely the corrupted hearts, were still on the loose. Ikuto had saved me more times than those I could recall, but he always managed to put himself in danger easily, like a bee is drawn to honey. I had once told him about that comparison, but he joked back that the eggs were not his honey, but me instead. I flustered in turn and we both felt into an awkward silence soon broken thankfully by my overprotective father.

I kept my hands busy wrapping the bandages around his left arm, noting absentmindedly how his muscles tensed whenever my fingers touched his skin or how his breath seemed heavier and unstable or even how the heat of his body itself was enough for me to have my face beet red. My eyes traveled all the way from his arm to his chest, where a shiny and beautiful key was kept. The Dumpty Key. The one that paired with the Humpty Lock that I too carried around my neck.

That connection that linked us both was enough to make my resolve to ignore his excuses dissolve. Without removing my eyes from the key, I forced my mouth to swallow my pride and forgive him. "I'm sorry for yelling at you."

Even without looking at Ikuto, I could tell that his eyes were transfixed in me, drinking in every word that would come out from my lips. "Forgive me too, for yelling back. And also for...you know, making you worry over my injuries."

I felt the moment go to waste as soon as I felt my stubborn character kicking in. "It's not like I was worried." Just those words were enough to make me want to kick myself for my stubborness when it was needed for me to be honest. "I just don't like the quantity of bandages I waste on you every week."

"Of course. That makes perfect sense!" I sensed the teasing tone in his voice, and resisted the urge to hit him across the head. I choose instead to look once more at the Dumpty Key hanging gracefully around his neck and thinking about how romantic it sounded whenever I remembered the moment the key and the lock once joined all those months ago. It was a memory I held dear to my heart.

I decided to question him with my curiosity of said key hanging for the first time around his neck, raising my head in the process. By doing so, I came across two conclusions: the key issue became senseless and his face was _extremely _close to my own.

Time seemed to stopped while we kept that compromising position. Ikuto looked at me with an expression overflowing with love. His eye were wide, fully alert to every action that I could do, if I was either repulsed or excited by out proximity. His arms circled carefully my waist after realizing that I wouldn't pull away, and pulled me even closer. My hands grabbed tightly his shoulders through the fabric of his uniform and my face was certain to be a mixture between fear and uncertainty. I know I was feeling those feelings but at the same time, the kiss that was certain to follow, was also something that I wanted with all my heart. Knowing who I loved or not was not stoping me from wanting to taste Ikuto's moister lips against my own.

The moment was ruined before it even began, when my mother knocked gently on the door. "Amu-chan, dear?"

I, quickly as possible, removed myself from Ikuto's arms and arranged my skirt from any invisible wrinkles on it before responding to my mother's question. From the corner of my eye I could see Ikuto looking to his left side with an almost dejected face, wondering perhaps if another opportunity like this would ever happen again. He knew I was afraid and uncertain and was also very well aware that there was a chance that he wasn't the one I loved. At that moment neither I could serenade the nagging question that was troubling him.

I kept trying to make my breath get back to normal as I waited for mama to continue her speech. "Tadase-kun is downstairs and wants to see you. Can he come upstairs?"

I consented as I heard the sound of mama's footsteps fading and waited patiently for Tadase-kun's presence. Tadase-kun entered my bedroom to see both me and Ikuto looking with interest at the carpet. His questioning gaze alternated between me and Ikuto and I felt like I wanted to be anywhere else but here. I knew I had very little time to avoid being confronted by Tadase-kun. He would either question the presence of Ikuto or the heavy silence that seemed to be part of my room's decoration.

I looked up, and when I was just about to begin talking, while Tadase-kun prepared himself for the same at the same time, my charas came in barging into my room, loud as ever and without being the slightest fazed by the quietness of the room. Unfortunately, it was to me that their attention was first directed. "Amu-chan, why is everyone so serious in here?"

"No reason whatsoever, Dia. I'm going to prepare some tea and cookies." I stopped in my tracks beside my door and remembered an important detail. Without turning around in my heels, I directed my question to Ikuto. "You want milk instead, right?"

"Yeah... Thanks, Amu." I pondered the option of leaving both boys alone as my charas and I left the room and climbed downstairs, ready to prepare whatever snacks were needed. With some help of Suu, I managed to pour some tea and some chocolate milk into glasses and set a trail of cookies, all ready to be taken back to my bedroom. Before I even managed to walk beyond the door, I heard voices coming from inside my room. Curiosity took over me, and I ended up sitting on the hard and cold floor, listening attentively to what the objects of my affection were discussing.

"You're in love with her!" At that moment, after I heard Tadase-kun state that to Ikuto, I had to restrain myself from barging inside my room and put the conversation to an immediate halt. I had two attractive guys in my room, both very much in love with me, and being well aware what the other one was feeling. I feared for what could happen behind the closed door.

"And you are too." Silence made it's presence clear once more, before I heard Ikuto clearing his throat, probably in a nervous way. Maybe he too was worried with Tadase-kun's reaction. "What are you going to do about it?"

Tadase-kun sighted, as I heard him sitting in my bed, right next to Ikuto. "To tell you the truth, I have no idea."

"Is that so!? Aren't you going to fight your onii-tan anymore?" I heard the playfulness in Ikuto's voice and hoped to God that he knew exactly what the heck he was doing.

"Y-yes. I mean...no. Argh, I don't know anymore, Ikuto!" A small pang crossed my heart, but I dismissed it instantly. There had to be a reason for his indecision. Even if there wasn't, there was no reason whatsoever for me to judge him; I, too, was having many doubts about my true feelings for both of them. "Haven't we fought each other enough for this last couple of years? And now we are finally friends once more, and I don't want to ruin it."

"I see... And what about Amu?"

I waited impatiently for the answer that he would give. "She loves you too, I bet."

I choked on my own spit, even if I could swear I had my throat dry. I was blushing horribly and my charas didn't look any better. "Amu-chan, he said..."

I could only nod at Miki's statement, feeling myself hyperventilate and hoping that neither one could hear. Especially Ikuto. I was sure that those cat ears were not just for decoration.

"She doesn't love me. She can't." It made me sad to hear Ikuto saying those words with such conviction, but a part of me kept nagging me, making me seriously believe that he was trying really hard to convince himself more than Tadase-kun, and even unknowingly, me. "I've done so many terrible things to her and to you all, that even now it surprises me the fact that she can forgive me so easily!"

"I've forgiven you, too, and yet it doesn't seem to affect you at all!" Tadase-kun bemused while Ikuto chuckled softly. When they weren't fighting they were teasing one another, giving me a feeling of what once was and could once more be. It scared me to think that my existence could make them break their friendship, but they proved to be above those bitter feelings and all the topics that concerned me were only friendly competition. No more, no less.

"Amu's different and you know it. She's....damn, I don't even have words to describe her. She's all I want, yet I fear I might be fooling myself. My heart keeps saying I'm in love, but...I just don't...know!"

Before Tadase had a chance to reply, I barged into the room the calmest way possible while fighting the blush that threaten to make it's presence shown. The rest of our time was spent without any more confessions of love or even any meaningful looks. Just spending a good time with two amazing friends.

When it turned dark outside, Tadase-kun announced he had to go home, leaving Ikuto and I once more in complete silence. I don't know how long we stayed like that, but after some time Ikuto stood up, apparently ready to go back home as well. I wanted to say something...anything! But the words wouldn't come. Ikuto looked at me with the exact same expression as before our almost-kiss, and I felt my breath getting caught in my throat.

I thought he was going to kiss me again when he approached me, but all he did was hold exclusively a thread of my hair and kiss it lovingly and slowly, like he probably would do if he were to be caressing my lips instead. After another staring contest, he approached my right ear and whispered to me in a way that turned my legs weak. "I'll _always _be watching you."

After some time to calm me down and a long time ignoring my persistent and curious charas, I finally managed to face my inner thoughts. I loved Tadase-kun...but I also loved Ikuto. I couldn't deny that both guys were in my thoughts. The thing was, the way that Ikuto looked at me, the way my body language responded to his own made me anxious to what this love could turn to be. I was still young and was afraid that Ikuto would want more from me, more than I could be capable of giving him. Was I really ready to give myself wholeheartedly to anyone?

Those thoughts plagued me, filled with anxiety and love as I felt myself sink into my mattress, ready for another night filled with the young kid, human image of the Embryo. Just once I would like to dream with my current life, with trivial questions such as love and tests and clothes, dream about a normal adolescence for once.

That night, the dream was completely different. No one else was there. Just him...and me. In the background I could faintly hear a nursery rhyme that felt oddly familiar.

_Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall._

_Humpty Dumpty had a great fall._

_All the king's horses and all the king's men_

_Couldn't put Humpty together again._

He looked at me with such sorrowful eyes, that I thought I was looking right back at Ikuto, the same expression that he made all those months ago.

He looked right at me, and opened his mouth, speaking at me for the very first time in my dreams. "I'm so sorry."

**-- End Chapter 1 --**

* * *

The nursery rhyme is about Humty Dumpty ('course, I think everyone knows it; I thought it fit the situation that is going to happen in the next chappie), and the lyrics that I'll be putting right after every chapter title are from the song "Endless Love", the theme from Myth, staring Jackie Chan (which by the way, he sings the song too). The song is in chinese/korean, and it's beautiful and fits the theme: forbidden love. Look for it on youtube.

I hope you like this story. I'm making it sad and corny, but beautiful (at least to me; then again I'm the writer, so my opinion doesn't really count).

And don't worry about the whole Amu has to realize she loves Ikuto and all that jazz. That will happen next chapter. Just pointing that out because that is not the issue here, it's...something else. I'm feeling evil today, especially after this cliffhanger. -pets plot bunnies-

Oh, yeah, go visit this new Shugo Chara forum where you might find everything you might be looking for about Shugo Chara. It's called **Midnight Shine**, and the link is in my profile.


	2. Forbidden Words

**Title: Forbidden Love  
Rating:** T  
**Pairing:** IkutoxAmu (even though I could add other pairings, I won't; I'm only focusing on Ikuto and Amu)  
**Summary: **There is a fragile balance in the world. Whenever you want something, you'll have to give something else in return. The Embryo is no exception. "You can't be with him... You can't tell him you love him." Amuto

**Author Notes: **Went back to drama. This story will have a happy ending, so don't stress people. I'm trying to put more feeling into it and more inner monologue and less dialogue than my previous work (**Matchmaking Process**). People will definitely like it, but I still want reviews that support that thought.**  
Warnings: **Rated T just in case, possibly for situations on chapter 3.**  
Disclaimer: **Don't own SC nor it's sexy characters.

* * *

**Forbidden Words**

_We loved each other too much,_

_That is the source of our pain._

_It is sorrowful that we can't even say "I love you"._

**(Amu's POV)**

_I'm so sorry_...my head repeated those words to me over and over again, just about ready to burst and make themselves heard around the world that surrounded me.

I remember that many things had crossed my mind in that moment. After all, there were multiple reasons for him to be sorry about. And even I knew it couldn't be something good. Could he have been sorry for making my friends' wishes come true? Couldn't he be able to make true Tadase-kun's desire to be a stronger person, Kukai's wish to have a good career in football, Yaya's desire to fill the world with candy cradled with happiness, Rima's family a happy one or even Utau and Ikuto's longing for his freedom and happiness? I had made their wishes my own, and as such I wouldn't allow the so called Embryo, or magical egg that makes wishes come true, to go back on his words and promises.

When I finally released myself from my troubling thoughts, I noticed that the Embryo had quietly approached me, eyes permanently adorned with sadness and loneliness. Whatever bad news he had to deliver me was also troubling him.

"I guess I should explain myself before you, wouldn't you agree?" Faithful to his appearance, the Embryo's voice carried an innocent tone that slightly eased my beating heart. To ease both our sufferings, I only nodded, hoping it would be a good enough incentive for him to carry on with his speech.

The little boy took a deep breath and faced me once more, sky blue eyes facing honey yellow ones. "A long time ago, in the midst of a small village by the country side, there once lived a poor family composed by a man, a woman, and a young boy. The money that they managed to bring home everyday barely could place food in their plates, but even so the family was happy and the man and the woman loved each other deeply. Seeing that love, the young boy, their son, made a wish to the stars, wishing that their lives were filled with the best in life as a way to assure that their love would keep burning strong for many more years to come."

"In the following morning, as the young boy awoke, he noticed that resting next to him in his bed, laid a pure white egg and a golden clover adorned key inserted in its matching lock. The egg suddenly began to shine brightly and spoke to him, frightening him instantly. _'Tell me your wish!'_ the egg said, as the boy filled with hope and anxiety shared with it his intentions and deepest wishes. After their secret meeting, his family was no longer poor. Food was more than enough on their plates and warm clothes covered their, once freezing, bodies."

"But as time went by, the boy began to notice the sudden change in his parents. The growing greed in their hearts and how the love began to fade did not go unoticed in the boy's eyes, which began to cloud with despair. The key and the lock, the most precious treasures in the house, that combined allowed anyone and everyone to see the radiance of its bearers' love, no longer matched. The key wouldn't fit the lock and the lock rejected the key."

"Over grieving for his family misfortune, his loss, the young boy made one last wish to the egg. He begged to be joined together with the wishing egg, being neither boy nor a simple wishing egg, but both. He would act as it's human conscious, as a last hope to perhaps find a way to overcome the guilt of destroying what once had been perfect on it's own way, and to also prevent from such cruelty from repeating itself ever again... That boy was me."

As the boy shared his story with me, I began to notice that I was being introduced to the history of the Embryo and the origin of the Humpty Lock and Dumpty Key. Truth be told, I had never questioned myself about the origin of the Embryo and the key and lock. But at the same time that made me wonder: why was he sharing it with me? Why me? And why now? Somehow I knew that it had something to do with Ikuto and me, the bearers of the key and lock. A flashback of the radiance when we joined them and Dia's rebirth made itself clear in my mind, and I couldn't help but to connect it to the story.

Looking back at the Embryo, I realized that although being a magical creature of sorts, this small child was still a boy in essence. He still hadn't told me what he wanted to, but I had the impression that we wouldn't say anything unless I took the first step, whichever it was. "Is this about the key and the lock, the reason why you 'called' me to this place?"

His eyes widened in surprise, but almost instantly clouded with guilt and his small pale hands grabbed tightly around the ends of his coat. I could tell he was fighting back tears. "Despite what you think, it was not the reunion of the key and the lock that called onto me. I had decided long before that you were deemed of having your wishes granted by me."

The young boy grabbed both my hands with his own and I felt into my knees in the white plain floor of the endless empty space, allowing us both to be at the same eye level. He faced me once more with sorrowful eyes as he pressed his cold right hand in my cheek. "I also wanted to make haste and show up in front of you, but I was too late. When I made myself shown, the key had already opened the lock, and shown their joint radiance. You do know what that means, no?"

I watched the Embryo, thinking back about said reunion, and realizing that even then, even before hearing the tale of the Embryo and the key and lock, I already had known what it meant. The 'game' of uncertainties had ended, and my heart had made its choice. And it chose Ikuto... I was in love with Ikuto.

My hair seemed to dance with the newly formed gentle breeze, as the world around me molded into a never-ending field of flowers.

"I had hoped that it was just a one-moment thing, like both your hearts were synchronized in that moment. That's why I decided to spy on you two, even if it were for a short period of time. What happen some hours ago proved my suspicious right. And that's why I came...and why you're here." The Embryo gently laid his head in my lap, my fingers caressing softly his silver-blue hair, and I almost could have swore that I saw a ghost of a smile in his face, quickly being replaced by a frown. "You are so warm. It reminds me of my own mother. She used to comb my hair just like you are doing right now."

Since it reminded him of his mother, I kept combing his hair to allow him to have a vivid remembrance of the time he had spent with her. The fact that he showed concern over my relationship with Ikuto was not comforting. My friends had made non-selfish wishes, while I on the other hand, only wished for their happiness (their wishes granted). There was no selfishness in those feelings, and nothing that could stand between me and Ikuto. Not even Tadase-kun, whom I was certain would be happy for the both of us.

I wondered right away if there was something I was missing in all of that. "There is something you aren't telling me, right?" From our position I gently hugged the boy and planted a small kiss in the top of his head, returning back to running my fingers through his hair, incentivating the hesitant boy despite my own insecurities about wanting to know the truth about his constant presence in my dreams. "I promise I won't be mad."

The boy turned around slightly, with his face turning upwards, looking straight to my own. "I had decided long ago that as long as I was around, and as long as you had asked me for a wish, that I wouldn't allow the key and lock to be together. The union of their bearers will only bring tragedy upon them."

"You decided to separate them for generation? How about their feelings?"

"After some generations, I took matters into my own hands. I made the bearers either enemies, or born into families that hated each other, or even people meant to marry someone else. All to keep them from being together. I thought it was a good price to pay." The boy tore his eyes off me and looked in the direction of the evening sun, as its fading light began to turn colder by the moment. "I made you and Ikuto-kun enemies and managed to make it so you had some years apart from one another, but even so I never imagine that you would fall for each other either way!"

"So, basically what you are saying is that for generations the key and the lock have been fated to be apart?"

"Yes, that is _exactly_ what I'm saying."

I swallowed very hard the new information, while at the same time fighting back the tears that were threatening to fall. It was not the right time to give in to weakness. "B-but...there is no war going on. Our families don't hate each other, and we're not...enemies anymore. There is also no third party member to ruin the relationship in a net filled of lies and jealousy! Why must we separate even so?"

"Because I can't take the risk. I've seen many couples crumbling at the hands of Lady Luck, and I can't just stand here and watch another couple die by it's hands. The wishes are made. And as such, you have to pay the rightful price. And I'm not willing to make death the price again."

I took a deep breath, as I caressed the rosy cheeks of the young boy. "Can't you just trust in...love or something?" He quickly, but not brusquely, rose to his knees, just like me, and kept his eyes closed, feeling the heat emanating from my hands that still lingered on his cheeks. "Me and Ikuto...we came a long way to be together. Can't you just believe that together we can overcome anything?"

The Embryo grabbed my hands with his own and released his face from my grasp. He got up abruptly, and turned his back on me. I kept myself quiet, patient...hopeful. "I lost hope in love a long time ago. It means nothing to me now!" He looked back at me, sorrow once more in his eyes. "Sorry, but I just can't believe in it anymore."

"Then...can't you just take back one wish or two?"

"As I said before, they have already been made come true. The consciousness of it has already made it into their memories. Death is the only way of making it reversible. And I'm sure, Amu-chan, that death is not something you wish to them, is it?"

"N-no...no, it's not..." A few tears left my eyes, flowing freely from their captivity as I quickly cleaned them away. Took another deep breath as I fought a sob that was threatening to make its presence shown. "Tell me the price I must pay!"

"You can't be with him... You can't tell him you love him."

Newly formed tears ran across my face but I gave up hope in cleaning them away from my face. The gentle breeze, which still lingered in this soothing field, turned cold. I rose to my feet as dandelions began to fly away, carried happily by the wind, perhaps excited to see new horizons. At that moment, I felt like they were mocking me, making me jealous of the freedom they had.

I saw the sun getting ready to lie down from one side of the field and the moon from the other, stretching its arms in form of stars, begging and pleading to the sun to wait for it. The sun teased the moon with its radiance, as it was beloved by most people, but never reachable. The moon was mysterious and was a liar half the time, but at the same time showing its unfazed expression. Amazing how at the same time, it would always follow the sun, as if hypnotized by it. This comparison reminded me of Ikuto and me. I was the sun, and him the moon. Always together, eternally separated.

**---**

I woke up sweating, with my clothes glued to my wet skin. I had just woken up from that dreadful dream, which felt too much like reality. When I realized that my cheeks were still wet from tears and a dandelion lay next to my pillow, I was quick to realize that what I had experienced was far from being a dream. My clock read 5:13 and I forced myself to ponder my options about Ikuto, while looking with mild interest to my ceiling.

I picked up the Humpty Lock, and somehow it felt colder than usual, like it could feel the pain in my heart and came to know that it could no longer be with its match. How many times had it been joined with the key after their creation? Not too many, I was sure. If it did, they always managed to be separated once more. The sudden join that had been made many months before only resulted in a bigger longing. A longing that I was beginning to feel and affect me.

Very faintly I was aware of the soft tapping in my balcony door, and quickly realized that it was Ikuto who had arrived. He had never come to my room this late, and I cursed his sense of timing. I knew I had very short time to consider my options. Should I push him away and make him hate me? Or should I pretend I choose Tadase-kun as the one I loved? Either way, I knew I wasn't strong enough to do either one of them. I could only pray that he would leave me alone on his own. But until then, my main concern was to prevent any disaster from happening. And that included the stubborn tears that wanted to fall.

I opened the door, and noticed that his eyes were filled with worry. My face was no longer wet, but even so, he couldn't tell, for as soon as I had the chance, I avoided his eyes. I could feel his eyes lingering on me, probably curious and anxious about my sudden lack of 'warmth' towards him. "I woke up in a violent way, like I had some kind of dream, a nightmare." I stopped breathing for a moment, and I thought for a moment he knew what happened to us...to me. "I felt it had something to do with you, and when I grabbed the Dumpty Key, I had the impression that it had turned colder than it usually was."

"T-the lock too. When I woke up, it looked like it had turned into ice." I looked back at Ikuto and felt that my next words would carry on with a double meaning. "It was like the lock knew that history was repeating itself again."

"'Repeating itself'? What do you mean, Amu?"

"Nothing." From that moment on, I knew that he knew something was wrong with me. I couldn't face him, and still hadn't come closer to him. Ikuto approached me instead, and when he grabbed my arm gently, I looked up. He was looking at me like that again. That same look that any young man in love would show to the woman (or in this case girl) he loved.

With his free hand he grabbed my chin, and lifted it so we were both looking at each other. I knew he had distracted himself from the whole point in it, and began to dive in to a kiss, our first kiss. But I couldn't. That nagging feeling, the one that made me fear for his life kept warning me about the danger. Panicking, I pushed Ikuto roughly away from me and turned around, tears threatening once more to leave my eyes.

I could tell I had hurt him immensely. How his eyes were painful and lonely, and like someone had taken away his most precious treasure in the world. "You made your choice, huh?" His voice carried the same painful tone of his eyes, but at the same time, fighting away any anger that might have manifested for being rejected.

"I did..." Stronger than me, a sob managed to escape from my lips and absentmindedly I heard Ikuto's breath caught in his throat. In that moment I didn't know if it was from either my confession or from my shaking shoulders and the sob that he heard, that caused that reaction. "... But it's not the one you think I did!"

As fast as a feline, Ikuto grabbed my shoulders once more, and forced me to face him. He studied my swollen puffy eyes filled with tears as more sobs escaped my lips. He sighted and thought of a way to address the crying me. "Then what is it!? Do you... Do you love me?"

My eyes widen at the sudden question and once more I tried to push him away. That time Ikuto was prepared and held me tighter, with a serious expression in his eyes. "Let me go!"

Ikuto faced my tears once more, and with his right hand cleaned the tears that adorned my eyes. He closed his eyes for a second, and when he faced me once more, I could see the reflection of my own. "You seem to be contradicting yourself, Amu. Your actions say no, but your eyes say yes."

I quickly avoided eye contact and looked back at the balcony, biting my lower lip and staring sorrowfully at the teasing moon. _'Always together, eternally separated'_ it sang. "It's just that...I don't want to let you to go, but...."

"But?"

"...at the same time, I know I don't have the right."

"Is it about your age? I can wait!"

"Ikuto...it's not my age that's the problem. I-I can't be with y..." My breath caught in my throat due to the fact that I couldn't dare to finish the sentence. The way I was neglecting his feelings was like my very own confession of love, and that was the last, and at the same time the first, thing I wanted to do. I gently grabbed his hand and placed it guiltily on my chest, the place where my heart was hidden.

I watched his face, paying extra attention to every single emotion that his eyes let through, and hoping that my own emotions wouldn't show in form of new tears. With trembling lips I managed to face a sorrowful Ikuto and whisper "If you wait, you'll have to wait forever."

Somehow Ikuto understood that there was some kind of terrible fate that prevented me from declaring my eternal love to him, that something was happening that forced me to be away from him. There was no need for words, for deep down I had the impression he knew it had to do with the Embryo. My suspicious were answered when he asked me that same question, leaving me to answer with a nod from my head.

The rest of our time alone, our short silent night was spent with Ikuto's arms circling my waist and combing my hair, with a mixture of tears from both of us. Even so, even then, he had promised never to leave me, never to stop loving me. We would find a way, we told ourselves. We would find a way to be together even if our time together was constricted.

**-- End Chapter 2 --**

* * *

First of all I want to mention that the POV that Amu has is all in the past, like it's the future Amu that is telling us this. As such we will be seeing always in Amu's POV, save for Utau that I'll be using in the future.

And second thing to say, which is an explanation for those that might be confused. Amu can't tell Ikuto that she loves him in a verbal or writing way. Any other way is also risky. She can't be with him in a sense of seeing each other in a daily basis like they did so far, or even date. They can't kiss, or hug for a long period of time. If she breaks any of this rules either one of her friends dies, or she condemns her life **and **Ikuto's. This rules don't apply to Ikuto. He can tell her he loves her, and although it seems to be too little, remember that it's more than what Amu can do. She never confessed to him in the first place, only he did (chapter 28).

And we'll be seeing a very concerned Amu in the next episode, especially about certain things that are going to happen in the next chapter, that will have consequences. And damn, **Psychedelic-dreams** has been bugging me about a certain scene in the next chappie. Did you know she's a pervert? She's been begging me about a certain scene that made her bow before me... I'm evil nyuk nyuk nyuk -insert evil smirk-

Anyway, I have to admit that this is the first time a story made by **me** made me cry. Still hasn't made my heart feel heavy and constricted, but...oh well, at least I get something. I really have this plot close to my heart that deals with sadness and such. Kinda reminds me of the book I have been reading. Clannad sort of had an influence in my mood too. It's story is sad in a way too, especially the little girl who lives alone in an empty world (the Embryo's dreamland was inspired by it).

And what do you all think about my made up story about the key, lock and Embryo? I'm surprised how easily it flooded from my head to my pen. My hand actually hurt when I first wrote that part to paper. And I had already turned out the light to go to sleep when it struck me at the speed of light at 2am! xD


End file.
